1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to electrical grounding clamps. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electrical grounding of vehicular components. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electrical grounding of vehicular components for reduction of frequencies which may adversely effect radio operation.
2. Discussion
Grounding clamps are utilized to provide an electrical ground for pipes and conduits, for example, to dissipate static electricity. In effecting such grounding, generally a solid copper wire is appropriately terminated to ground and then connected to the pipe or conduit by a clamp to effect grounding. The coupling of the terminated ground wire to the pipe or conduit to be grounded must be done in a manner to ensure an effective electrical connection between the pipe or conduit and the terminated ground wire. This coupling or connection must be maintained free from corrosion and mechanical failure, both at the connection with the terminated ground wire, and at the connection to the pipe or conduit.
To ensure suitable grounding for a pipe or conduit that is covered with paint, rust, or other material over a base metal, it is known to clean the pipe or conduit surface, for example by sanding. While such a practice is typically effective in ensuring a properly conditioned surface for grounding, it is labor intensive. To a more limited extent, it is also known to provide a grounding clamp having a strap with a plurality of abrading points for engaging an object to be grounded and cutting or scraping through an outer surface thereof as the clamping strap is tightened to ensure electrical contact. One example of such a clamping strap is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,096 to Franks, Jr. The grounding clamp disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,096 includes one or more terminated ground wires identified at reference numeral 40 for grounding a pipe.
While known devices for electrically grounding, including but not limited to the arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,096 have proven to be acceptable for certain applications, they are all associated with disadvantages. In this regard, known devices typically include multiple components which is undesirable for many applications, for example, automotive assembly applications. Additionally, known devices are not effective for grounding higher frequencies (e.g., greater than 15 Mhz) which typically interfere with FM band radio.
In the field of motor vehicles, it is recognized that isolated metallic vehicular components may become parasitic resonators if not sufficiently grounded. For example, a vehicle tail pipe may pick up energy from the engine compartment and resonate. Transmitted frequencies may ultimately couple with the vehicle antenna and adversely effect radio operation.
In certain known applications, wires are used to electrically interconnect such isolated metallic vehicular components with body sheet metal or the vehicle frame. While often time consuming and expensive due to the multiple part assemblies conventionally employed, this known technique is effective for lower frequencies which may effect AM radio operation. However, higher frequencies which effect FM radio operation remain problemsome.